Only Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, North Dakota rank higher on Strolling of Heifers list

Apr. 16, 2013

Luscious looking lettuces growing in a high tunnel at Grade A Gardens in Johnston. / Special to the Register

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According to Strolling of the Heifers, a Vermont-based local food advocacy group, Iowa has placed fifth among the 50 states and Washington, D.C., for its commitment to “locavorism,” according the group’s Locavore Index.

The top five states according to the index, in order, are Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Iowa. The bottom five are Texas (dead last), Florida, Louisiana, Arizona and Nevada. That’s respectable, people, but really, North Dakota beat us?! Get to work and buy local.

It’s not like it’s a chore to find good, local eats in these parts. In fact, here’s a picture (above) of some of the good stuff — lovely little lettuces — growing locally at Grade A Gardens. Who wouldn’t want to eat that? Check out Strolling of the Heifers at www.strollingoftheheifers.com.

Best Bite Challenge

About five weeks into Iowa’s Best Bite Restaurant Challenge in Oskaloosa, restaurateurs have started to tour the town and make plans for entering the contest. Winners receive a huge prize package worth more than $150,000 that includes a fully equipped restaurant space.

“We’ve had a handful of contestants tour the old Dr. Salami’s location (at the Oskaloosa golf course) and they’ve also been investigating the city in general,” contest manager Bryan Schultz said.

Schultz said that the early stages of the contest involve a great deal of research for the contestants.

“We’re asking for a lot of information, and good restaurateurs are, by nature, perfectionists,” he said. “So it takes time for them to put together their plans and submit the application.”

The contestants have been varied in their experiences, from seasoned restaurant veterans to entrepreneurs from other fields who want to apply their skills in a new area.

Oskaloosa area residents also seem to be excited, Schultz said, and more than 100 residents applied to be tasting judges in the finals.

“We’ll take applications until April 22 and start contacting our selected judges then,” he said.

Restaurateurs can submit their applications until May 6. The semifinals will be May 15 and the finals May 16. Learn more at www.iowasbestbite.com.

OOOOHHHHHH bacon!

Mentor Iowa, host of an April 28 fundraising auction, reports that the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival Bacon Board — they of the biggest bacon bacchanal in the world — are donating two general admission tickets to the 2014 Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival, which will be sold out before you can say “I love bacon.”

Be one of the first in the world to own tickets by purchasing this auction package at the 10th annual Mentor Iowa auction at the Hyperion Field Club in Johnston. Money raised goes toward the group’s mission to provide trained volunteer mentors for abused, neglected and delinquent children. The auction is free and open to the public.

Jewish Food Fair

It’s not about bacon. It’s kind of related to bacon in the fact that there’s no bacon allowed. But even without Des Moines’ and Iceland’s favorite meat product, there will be plenty to tempt the palate at the annual Jewish Food Fair on May 19. Sample Jewish cooking, tour the Temple B’nai Jeshurun and enjoy live klezmer music.

The team at the fair says you can “nosh till you plotz” on matzo ball soup, chopped liver, bagels and lox, brisket, kugel — the list goes on and on. Food is available for take out as well as eating on site. Find more information on the website at www.templebnaijeshurun.org.

JENNIFER MILLER covers the Iowa food and restaurant scene for the Register. Have a story idea? Email Jennifer at jenmille@dmreg.com, or call 515-699-7073.